Sidetackled
by inthemusicbox
Summary: It's a sneaky, underhanded manuever. Your opponent never sees it coming. [AxelRiku][Oneshot in the making]


**Notes: **Birthday present for TheGlassSlipper's birthday. **TheGlassSlipper's birthday**: March 15th. **Date part one of present released**: April 24th Because Serenity fails at life. SIGGGGGHHHHZZZZ.

**Notes # 2**: This is a one shot. But because im lame and cant seem to write things in one sitting..it'll be delivered piece by piece..hopefully within the next few days..or ill kill myself..:o ANYWAY..enjoy part one..which will bore the hell out of you all..I dare say XD OH..and there may be language to indicate Kairi bashing..DONT BE FOOLED. theres no kairi bashing..e.e I dont know..its just how it is? the phrasing here wasn't meant to bash kairi. So you fanaticals keep that in mind before you decide to crucify me, k? Thanks

_..Oh yeah..This is going to end up AxelRiku eventually x3_

**Notes # 3**: I hope people are familiar with basic soccer terms. Im really lazy..but theyre pretty easy to figure out in context..but if youre confused by any of the terms anyway..PM me and ill set you straight x3.

- - -

**Sidetackled**

' '_never see it coming_..' '

•- **-- --- --- --- --- -- -**•

**-**-**x**x**S**er_e_**ni**ty

_happy belated birthday, Mimi x3 ILU 3_

- - -

_In order to obtain happiness of any sort, be it love, or something else, we must all be prepared to give a little in sacrifice. It's a hard concept really, especially depending on what's included in that sacrifice. What would one give up to be truly happy._

The boy skidded along the hard, grassy knolls. Dirt beneath the crisp grass was dryer than a desert, and the friction from the impact kicked up a cloud of dust that had him choking, sputtering, and eventually gasping for much needed air. The black-blotched ball rolled by the small form, utterly abandoned, and he'd glare up at the shadow that stretched out over him with a look that was a mix of both anger and hurt, frustration at how things had come to be like this. When was it that such a bond like the one between two friends started to break?

The shadow that loomed over him, grinning as if nothing was wrong, knew better than anyone the meaning of sacrifice, even if he hadn't truly tasted such a feeling yet. The point was that he _would've_ had he been given the chance. Maybe in the end he decided he was too much of a coward, he waited too long..

The _best_ of friends: that's what they were. From the moment the two could walk, Riku and Sora had never been far apart from one another. But, all cliché's aside, it could be noted that their bond was, truly, an unbreakable one…for a while.

But then, again, as over done as the phrase is, the point remains: times change, and so do people. Life is no longer as simple as a wooden stick used in mock fights, or the possibilities an empty little cave holds for two young best friends. Relationships get a lot more complicated than that, and unfortunately, for Riku, they were just a touch more complicated than normal..

Because as he got older, Riku made a particularly unsettling conclusion: he was in love with his best friend.

At first the feelings were ignored. Why else shouldn't they have been? As the two got older, and Riku started to notice particularly odd thoughts about his younger friend, he'd attribute his weirdness to the weather, which in turn had affected his mood, which would _then_ make him think crazy thoughts. It all made sense to a young adolescent, and he'd push it to the back of his mind, not casting it another thought.

He was then successful in burying these foreign feelings, all until the middle of high school, when he and Sora made the cut for the soccer team. Soccer had been a leisurely activity that had only interested the two of them in their younger years., and instead of joining the rest of their little circle in a game of blitzball, Riku and Sora spent their time hidden away on the little bit of land protruding from the ocean, playing 1-on-1 with an old, partially deflated beach ball, and seeing which of them would be so dumb as to kick it off the small island first.

Though _now- _things weren't quite as easy and carefree. The game was bigger, harder, with a great deal more ferocity than in mere play. But the rewards were often worth it and it was still enjoyable to the both of them, who each took great pleasure in their after-school activity, and then each other's company on the long, refreshing walk home they shared.

Then it was off to the island for more practice, and more time to spend with one another, usually alone.

Others would find it strange how often the two went off by themselves, regardless of the fact that it was usually for the sake of practicing new moves, even if they always did end up sprawled out in the sand side by side, staring up at the stars when the day finally came to an end.

But neither of them thought anything of it. They were simply two best friends, hanging out, playing sports, anything else typical of two friends, and nothing more...

..until pesky "emotions" decided to rear its ugly head.

Things that had once been simple, mundane pleasures to Riku had become necessities. Should he or Sora have another obligation one day out of the seven, the teen would mope back to his house after practice, and make it known that he wanted nothing to do with family interaction. He was undeniably depressed without his alone time with his best friend, and even if he didn't immensely show it, (he'd never directly admit that Sora was the cause) he was fully, fully aware of it. Loneliness ate at him like a bad plague..and he never admitted it.

Chances are.. it was when he was able to come to terms with that fact that he realized there _was _a problem, and he had set out to discover just what it was that irked him so much. After all, Riku was very independent. As much as loneliness bothered him, he never, ever called it that. He was simply _moody_, and he knew he didn't need anyone to be content.

Well, other than Sora, that is.

After practices were probably the worst for Riku, sine he found himself in the locker room, casting absent-minded side glances to his friend as he changed. That was a big no-no among the team. An unwritten law if you would. You could be gay if you wanted to be, but don't say it, don't show it. But it was okay, because by then Riku was fully convinced that there was no way in hell he was smitten by Sora...not like that.

He was convinced, that is, until the knife known as Kairi was plunged into his chest, and never a pain had he known until those few words were bestowed upon him by his overly eager friend.

"_I asked Kairi out and she said yes!"_

Now, Riku wasn't sure which was worse. The fact that the two were now an "item" or that it was Sora that had initiated it. But in the end he was sure it was a combination, with just a touch more of the realization that Sora would never, ever like him, all because of one simple little fact.

He was a_ boy_, just like him.

That was the day that their bond broke, not mutually of course. Riku just couldn't take looking at him, even if he had to. Times not spent with him were significantly less painful. They were also less noticed by Sora, who had the joys of a girlfriend to occupy his free time now.

Eventually, he'd even turn slightly _cold_ towards Sora. It wasn't even intentional. He'd never have the thought of hurting him purposely. But then again, Riku didn't really deal too well with negative emotions. He internalized the pain felt and channeled it into better, healthier energy, such as in soccer.

Unfortunately, when the source of your pain was your opponent for the moment, it certainly didn't do much for any unconscious rage issues one might be having.

And it was there, that one particular practice when Riku had thrown all that he was into that one, special maneuver, that Sora realized things weren't the same. Soccer had always been fun. Riku had always been fun. Now, he was drifting away, ignoring his phone calls (or never returning them) avoiding him during school, _and_ he was resorting to controversial soccer maneuvers that were, in essence, _dangerous_, and in a mere scrimmage! Sora couldn't even begin to fathom what his problem was. Such was the blissfulness of his ignorance in regards to the feelings of his best friend.

x.X.x

"What is your problem?! That was illegal!" Sora huffed indignantly, while sweeping the dust off the front of his shirt with dirt slathered hands.

Broader shoulders rose and fell, but no other response was given. The silence made the younger even angrier.

"That's so like you Riku! Something bothers you and you just turn away from it!"

There was always pain in truth, the elder noted, yet again he chose not to acknowledge that Sora knew. It wasn't worth getting into a fight over. After all, the last thing he wanted was to lose his best friend.

"You should take a break, Sora. I think you're heat stricken."

The others watched in silence, fearful to intervene yet concerned for their youngest member, who watched the captain with wide, slightly hurt eyes. Confusion laced his expression, but all hurt was replaced by that angry, pouting scowl, accentuated by that huff and a strong kick at the dirt. No more was said on the matter as Riku withdrew from his team to the comforting shade of the old, rickety tree at the other end of the field, happily secluded.

- - -

TBC. . .

_Because oh the excitement..-.-_


End file.
